TEAM INFO

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Lakehead Clinches 1st OUA West Regular Season Championship

The Lakehead Thunderwolves have clinched the regular season OUA West championship and #1 play-off seed for the first time in school history.

The 'Wolves (16-4) put together a better game on Saturday night and won 78-59 over Brock highlighted by an 18-9 4th quarter. Yoosrie Salhia was huge for the 'Wolves scoring on 12-15 field goals for 24 points and 6 rebounds (tipped out about 8 other boards) to lead all scorers in the game. Jamie Searle, one of three graduating seniors honored before the game recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Ven Russell had 14 and 8 assists and Ryan Thomson was the 4th LU player in double-digits with 10 points 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Andrew Hackner, also playing in his last regular season home game, added a solid 15 minutes with 4 points and 3 rebounds. Hackner and Searle were given a standing ovation twice - once in a pre-game ceremony and again as they subbed off the floor with just over a minute to play in regulation.

Brock was led by Michael Cruikshank who had 16 and Mark Gibson who had 10 but was held to 0 rebounds by Salhia and company.

"I am pleased and proud of our players for finishing a strong weekend and clinching the #1 seed in the play-offs for the first time in school history. It has been a long journey for our 3 seniors (Hackner, Searle and Andrew Quirion) to go from worst in the league to first is a major accomplishment and one they deserve after their years of dedication and perseverance. "

- Coach Morrison on clinching 1st place and the graduation of Hackner, Searle and Quirion

"Tonight we played a much more efficient game on the offensive end and did a better job establishing a presence in the paint. We have one more weekend to improve our weaknesses and get our intensity to a play-off level. Some excellent goals have been accomplished, but not yet the goals we set out to reach in September. We have a lot of work left to do."